Link conveyer belt



May 9, 1.933. F. WOQDMAN 1,907,636

LINK CONVEYER BELT Filed Jan. 20, 1952 Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED.STATES FRANCIS N. WOODMAN, OF CL INTO N, MASSACHUSETTS LINK GONVEYERBELT Application filed January 20, 1932. Serial No. 587,785.

This invention relates to conveyer belts formed of sheet metal links andis well adapted for general conveying purposes. I

My improved belt is particularly designed,

however, for conveying machine parts or other material through heattreatment furnaces, or for otherwise operating under high temperatureconditions.

It is the general obj ect of my invention to improve the construction ofsuch conveyer belts and to simplify the manufacture thereof. A furtherobject is to provide an improved pivotal connection between adjacentlinks by which flexing of the belt is facilitated.

My invention further relatesto arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims. Prefe'rred forms of the invention are shown in thedrawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a portion of my improvedbelt;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the links of my improved belt;

Fig. 4: is an end View of the link, lookingin the direction of the arrowl in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation illustrating my improved pivotalconnection;

Fig. 6 is a similar View but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of a slightly modified belt connection;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the links shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the side links; and

Fig. 9a is a fragmentaryview of a further modification.

Referring to the drawing, my improved belt comprises spacer links 10,side links 11 and cross bars 12, assembled in the general relationindicated in Fig. 1. The links 10 and 11 are provided with openings 15at their opposite ends and are also preferably concavely recessed alongone edge, as indicated at 16 in Fig. 3.

The cross bars 12 are preferably rectangular in cross section, and theopenings 15 are of irregular shape, the height of each opening at itsouter end being substantially equal to the thickness of'the cross bar12. Each opening 15 is widened gradually toward the inner end of theopening, where it is substantially wider than the thickness of the crossThe openings 15 are made substantially longer than the width of thecross bars 12, so that there is substantial clearance for readilyassembling the parts. The links 10 and 11 and cross bars 12 areassembled as indicated in Fig. 1, with the lugs 20 of each link 10engaging the side of the next parallel link. 10 thus holding all of thelinks in a desired and predetermined spaced relation. l A side link 11is assembled in the belt at one side of each transverse series'of links10, so that there may be no lugs 20 projecting from the side of thebelt. The cross bars 12extend through I the openings 15 between adjacentseries'of links 10 and 11, and the cross bars 12 are preferably held inplace by washers 25 secured on the ends of the crossbars in anyconvenient manner, as by depositing metal outside of the Washers by awelding 5 operation. Having described the construction and method ofassembling of my improved belt, I will now describe the operation oftheparts during the flexing of the belt, as when the belt travels overthe surface of a drum or pulley P as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6.

When the belt is straight, the cross bar 12 is engaged on its oppositeedge faces by the straight outer end walls of the openings 15 and by theinner side faces of the lugs 20. When the belt is running straight, theedge faces of the cross bars are squarely engaged with the adjacentbearing surfaces and in full contact therewith, as indicated in Fig. 5.

When the belt is flexed, however, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6, thecross bars 12 are rocked about their upper corner edges against theouter end walls of the openings15 and against the inner side surfaces ofthe lugs 20. The cross bars assume the positions indicated in Fig. 6,during flexing but return to the position indicated in Fig. 5 as thebelt is straightened.

It will thus appear that I have provided a knife-edge bearing forturning purposes between the cross bars 12 and the links and 11. And itwill further appear that the cross bars 12 are entirely free in theopening 15 in each link, except for engagement with the straighttransverse outer end surface of the opening and with the lug adjacentthereto.

Consequently I have obtained the advantages of a knife-edge bearing andalso of an open-sided bearing, while at the sametime the cross bars 12may be of very substantial cross section. The cross bars and linksnormally engage over the full thickness of the cross bar, and with agiven Weight of metal, a cross bar of rectangular cross section willhave substantially greater strength to resist shearing than the ordinaryhinge pin of circular cross section and of equal weight.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have indicated a slightly modified form of link-3Owhich may be adopted when it is desired to reduce the area of openingsthrough the belt. For this purpose, flanges 31 may be blanked from themiddle portion of the belt and extending laterally therefrom topartially close the openings through the belt between the links 10 and11 as indicated in Fig. 7. Obviously, by decreasing, the relative lengthof the lugs 20 the links may be spaced more closely together, so thatthe flanges 31 will substantially engage adjacent links, thereby stillfurther reducing the openings through the belt.

While I have preferably formed the openings 15 at each end of the links10 and 11 with the irregular outline shown in Fig. 3, it will be obviousthat one end ofeach link may be formed with a rectangular opening (Fig.9a) substantially fitting the cross bar 12. This construction isavailable where the belt is not required to bend to very sharpcurvatures, but for general purposes the construction shown in Figs. 3and 9 is perpreferred.

It is also obvious that a relatively heavy belt may be made entirely oflinks 11 without projecting lugs, while retaining the advantages of myimproved pivotal connection.

A further and very important advantage of my invention resides in theunit construction by which belts of any desired width may be built upout of standard parts.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, other- Wise than asset forth in the appended claims, but what I claim is 1. A link conveyerbelt comprising a series of metal links and a plurality of cross barseach connecting a plurality of adjacent and successive links, said linksbeing mounted edgewise in said belt and having non-circular bearingopenings at both ends thereof,

and each opening having a transverse outer bearing end surface, and saidcross bars extending loosely through said bearing openings in adjacentand successive links and each having two opposed fiat edge faces bothengaging transverse bearing surfaces of assembled links and said linksrocking thereon about edge corners of said cross rods.

2. A link conveyer belt comprising a series of metal links and aplurality of cross bars each connecting a plurality 'of adjacent andsuccessive links, said links being mounted edgewise in said belt andhaving bearing openings therein at both ends thereof and each openinghaving a straight transverse outer end bearing surface, and said crossbars being of substantially rectangular cross section and having twoopposed flat side edges which engage straight end bearing surfaces of a.plurality of successive links, said links rocking about the edge cornersof said bars as the belt is flexed.

3. A link conveyer belt comprising a plurality of side links, spacerlinks and cross bars, said spacer links having bearing 0 eningstherethrough for said cross bars, an the stock displaced from saidopenings forming laterally projecting spacing lugs at the sides of saidlinks and at the outer ends of said openings. 1

4:. A link conveyer belt comprising a plurality of side links, spacerlinks and cross bars, said spacer links having bearing openingstherethrough for said cross bars, and the stock displaced from'saidopenings forming laterally projecting spacing lugs at the outer ends ofsaid openings, said lugs also providing extended bearing surfaces foren-' gagement by said cross bars. I

5. In a conveyer belt, a link having noncircular bearing openings, eachwith a straight outer transverse bearing surface,

and said link having a laterally projecting spacing lug' positionedadjacent said transverse bearing surface.

6. In a conveyer belt, a link having noncircular bearing openings, eachwith a straight outer transverse bearing surface and said link havingintegral spacing lugs projecting laterally therefrom.

7 In a conveyer belt, a link having noncircular bearing openings, eachwith a straight outer transverse bearing surface and said link havinginte a1 spacing lugsprojecting laterally there rom and havin laterallyprojecting load-supporting side anges.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

FRANCIS N. WOODMAN.

